FRED Film Radio - English Channel

Stephen Dunn – director – Closet Monster

FRED’s Simone Moraldi interviews Stephen Dunn, director of the film Closet Monster, which screened at the parallel and independent section of the 10th Rome Film Festival, Alice nella Città.

The young director of Closet Monster talks about how his film, which is also his feature directorial debut, tells a story with autobiographical traits and how it tries to make considerations about the complicated issue of homophobia.

CLOSET MONSTER tells the story of Oscar Madly (Jessup), a creative and driven teenager who hovers on the brink of adulthood. Destabilized by his dysfunctional parents, unsure of his sexuality, and haunted by horrific images of a tragic gay bashing he witnessed as a child, Oscar dreams of escaping the town he feels is suffocating him. A talking hamster, imagination and the prospect of love help him confront his surreal demons and discover himself.

The post Stephen Dunn – Closet Monster #Roma10FF appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Paul Weitz – director – Grandma

After writing and directing important and essential generation comedies such as About a Boy, American Pie, Little Fockers, Paul Weitz decided to not only write an indie comedy but to have as protagonists a rebellious and lesbian Grandma and portray three generations of women.

From his words we discover the making of the film, the choice of the incredible Lily Tomlin as the sarcastic Grandma and the reasons behind the decision of portraying this modern, imperfect but entertaining and lovely family of women.

GRANDMA: Elle Reid has just gotten through breaking up with her girlfriend when her granddaughter Sage unexpectedly shows up needing 600 dollars before sundown. Temporarily broke, Grandma Elle and Sage spend the day trying to get their hands on the cash as their unannounced visits to old friends and flames end up rattling skeletons and digging up secrets.

The post Paul Weitz – Grandma #Roma10FF appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Laurie Weltz, India Ennenga – director – Scout

Mother and daughter, director and actress wanting to work together: that’s how the film SCOUT was born. Laurie Weltz and her daughter India Ennenga tell FRED’s Chiara Nicoletti about the idea and the process that led them to writing SCOUT , directed by Laurie.

The film shows us how blood links don’t necessary mean FAMILY but we can always choose who we want to be part of our family and let our decisions be driven only by love.

SCOUT: Fifteen-year-old Scout lives with her younger sister Lulu and their great-grandmother on the edge of poverty in a small Texas town. But when government authorities declare Gram an unfit guardian, the girls’ father takes young Lulu to live with him, separating the sisters for the first time in their lives.

Scout reaches out to the only hope she has: her new friend Sam—a troubled young man who lives in an upscale mental institution nearby. Risking everything, she helps Sam escape. They steal a car and set out to find Lulu—with a Texas Ranger hot on their trail, determined to bring Sam back at any cost.

As the chase goes on, Scout must choose between the friend she loves, and the family she lost.

The post Laurie Weltz, India Ennenga – Scout #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken – director – Returning Home

FRED’s Chiara Nicoletti meets director Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken in competition at the 13th edition of Alice nella Città with his first feature film RETURNING HOME.

Two brothers embark on a journey through the mountains of Norway, to look for their father who’s gone missing after being returned from Afghanistan only a few days before. As Dahlsbakken wrote this film with his brother , the story focuses on brotherhood and the search for reference points in life.

Returning Home is a coming of age story which frames the exact moment of passage from adolescence to adulthood, when we start seeing our parents as imperfect and fragile as we all are.

RETURNING HOME: Two young brothers are forced to track down their absent father, having recently returned from service in Afghanistan, after he disappears during a reindeer hunt in the mountains.

The feature film Returning Home (2015) begins as Einar (played by Ingar Helge Gimle) returns to his family in Norway after serving as an officer in Afghanistan for nearly a year. Absent a clear father figure, the eldest brother Oscar (Aasmund Hoeg) has assumed responsibility for little brother Fredrik (Fredrik Grondahl) and the home, as their mother Anna (Lia Boysen) is bedridden most of the time. The homecoming does not turn out as expected, as the father seems distant upon seeing his family again. He goes out hunting the morning after and doesn’t return as promised that evening. After spending the entire night waiting, the boys decide to walk up the mountain, hoping to find their father.

The search itself becomes a test of manhood and the brothers’ relationship, one from which they will return forever changed.

The post Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken – Returning Home #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Paul Webster – producer – Pan 3D

As a Special Event at the 13th edition of Alice nella Città lands Joe Wright’s new film PAN.

To present it and introduce it to the Rome Film Fest’s audience Oscar nominated and BAFTA-and Golden Globe Award-winning producer Paul Webster ( The English Patient, Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) .

PAN is the story of how Peter, a 12 year old rebellious boy, ends up living in Neverland and becomes the legend we all know read and dreamed about. PAN tries to answer the questions we all had about Peter Pan, what are his origins? when did the story really begin?

PAN: From director Joe Wright (Atonement, Pride & Prejudice) comes Pan, a live-action feature presenting a wholly original adventure about the beginnings of the beloved characters created by J.M. Barrie. Peter (Levi Miller) is a mischievous 12-year-old boy with an irrepressible rebellious streak, but in the bleak London orphanage where he has lived his whole life those qualities do not exactly fly. Then one incredible night, Peter is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates, warriors and fairies called Neverland.

There, he finds amazing adventures and fights life-or-death battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) and a new friend named James Hook (Garrett Hedlund), Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) to save Neverland and discover his true destiny—to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan.

Wright directed Pan from a screenplay written by Jason Fuchs. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter and Oscar nominee Paul Webster (Atonement) produced the film, with Tim Lewis serving as executive producer. The film stars Oscar nominee Hugh Jackman (Les Misérables) as Blackbeard; Garrett Hedlund (Inside Llewyn Davis) as James Hook; Oscar nominee Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as Tiger Lily; newcomer Levi Miller as Peter; and Amanda Seyfried (Les Misérables) as Mary. Rounding out the cast are Adeel Akhtar (The Dictator) as Smee; Taejoo Na (The Kick) as Kwahu; Nonso Anozie (Son of God, Atonement) as Bishop; Kathy Burke (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) as Mother Barnabas; Kurt Egyiawan (Skyfall) as Murray; Lewis MacDougall (UK TV’s In the Name of the Children) as Nibs; and Jack Charles (Mystery Road) as The Chief.

Click here to visit the official website of PAN

Click here to visit the official Facebook page of PAN

The post Paul Webster – Pan 3D #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Clemens Schick, Jella Haase, Moritz Leu – actors – Four Kings

After meeting director Theresa Von Eltz, FRED’s Chiara Nicoletti meets the protagonists of FOUR KINGS, actors ClemensSchick, Jella Haase and Moritz Leu to comment with them the intent and message of the film.

The film states something very important through the voice of Clemens Schick‘s character, the psychiatrist: What makes you odd now will be what makes you special when you grow up. This is the essence of the film and it is what turn the four adolescents into FOUR KINGS.

FOUR KINGS: Christmas is approaching, and with it, the desire for harmony, beauty, light and hope. Being unable to cope with her parents’ conflict, Alex (16) makes a radical decision. A day later she finds herself in the adolescent psychiatric emergency unit. There she meets three other young people: Lara (17), the striking daughter from an academic family, who’s having acidflashbacks; shy Fedja (16), who is being bullied at school; and violent Timo (17), who has just been moved from the closed ward. Under the care of the young psychiatrist Dr. Wolff (38), they will spend a Christmas together that none of them will ever forget.

A heart wrenching drama about four young, smart, damaged youths who must spend their Christmas holiday in a juvenile psychiatric clinic. Together, alone and confronted by an unconventional psychiatrist, they will have a Christmas that they’ll never forget.

The post Clemens Schick, Jella Haase, Moritz Leu – Four Kings #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Janet Grillo – director – Jack of the Red Hearts

FRED’s Chiara Nicoletti meets Janet Grillo, director of JACK OF THE RED HEARTS in competition at the 13th edition of Alice nella Città.

This is Grillo‘s second film exploring the topic of autism, the first was FLY AWAY where the director focused more on the difficult relationship between mother and daughter.

Jack of the Red Hearts is described by Janet Grillo as a film about love and what it means to be human. It is a story about how people can connect and how this unexpected connections can really turn our life upside down and change our path and our priorities.

This is how Jack, the protagonist, becomes more aware of the kind of person she wants to be in life so that she can start all over again with new priorities, dreams and good intentions.

JACK OF THE RED HEARTS: Aging out of foster care, a street-smart teen, JACK (AnnaSophia Robb, SOUL SURFER, CARRIE DIARIES) gets in trouble with her Probation Officer. Needing to lay low, she cons way into a job as live-in companion to a child with severe autism, GLORY (Taylor Richardson, ANNIE). Intending to stay a few weeks and make a few bucks, Jack is stunned when she makes a positive impact on Glory.

Meanwhile the family, in particular the mother, KAY (Famke Janssen, TAKEN, X-MEN) makes a positive impact on Jack. And wounded, scrappy survivors begin to heal each other a little bit–until the law catches up, the truth comes out, and Jack must choose: save herself or help someone else.

The post Janet Grillo – Jack of the Red Hearts #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Theresa Von Eltz – director – Four Kings

FRED’s Chiara Nicoletti meets Theresa Von Eltz, director of FOUR KINGS, in competition at the 13th edition of ALICE NELLA CITTA’.

In her first feature film, the german director, chooses Christmas holidays and an adolescent psychiatric clinic as the time and place to set this coming of age story about four adolescents, two boys and two girls, forced to stay in for “the most wonderful time of the year” and therefore the most challenging one.

This forced confrontation between them and with an unconventional young doctor by their side, will lead them to finally grow up and realize they can still be special even with so many imperfections.

FOUR KINGS: Christmas is approaching, and with it, the desire for harmony, beauty, light and hope. Being unable to cope with her parents’ conflict, Alex (16) makes a radical decision. A day later she finds herself in the adolescent psychiatric emergency unit. There she meets three other young people: Lara (17), the striking daughter from an academic family, who’s having acidflashbacks; shy Fedja (16), who is being bullied at school; and violent Timo (17), who has just been moved from the closed ward. Under the care of the young psychiatrist Dr. Wolff (38), they will spend a Christmas together that none of them will ever forget.

A heart wrenching drama about four young, smart, damaged youths who must spend their Christmas holiday in a juvenile psychiatric clinic. Together, alone and confronted by an unconventional psychiatrist, they will have a Christmas that they’ll never forget.

The post Theresa Von Eltz – Four Kings #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Roxana Widmer-Iliescu – senior programme officer – ITU (International Communications Union)

The United Nations palyed a key role in making the issue of cinema accessibility aknowledged and accepted by nearly the 80 per cent of its member states. This is a great achievement, but it is not over yet. Roxana Widmer-Iliescu, senior programme manager of the ITU, the International Communications Union, tells us why that and how it will proceed in its goals.

The post Roxana Widmer-Iliescu – ITU (International Communications Union) #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.

Robin Ribback – CIO – Verbavoice

Verbavoice is a company partner of Sub-Ti in the fight to cinema accessibility, that is an issue wider and more important than anybody think.

Let’s hear it form the voice of Robin Ribback what this is really about and what we could all do to make it an accepted reality.

The post Robin Ribback – Verbavoice #RomaFF10 appeared first on Fred Film Radio.